Preseason Power Rankings No. 3: Baltimore Ravens

Posted by Mike Florio on July 23, 2013, 2:55 PM EST

AP

The Ravens have won the Super Bowl, which can be the ultimate blessing and the ultimate curse. While players like Ray Lewis can walk into the sunset after winning a championship, the franchise must go on — and the roster will inevitably be raided during free agency and the target on the team undoubtedly will grow.

It happened to the Ravens quickly, prompting predictions of doom and gloom. But then Elvis Dumervil fell into Baltimore’s lap, and the mood quickly changed.

More than four months later, the Ravens remain near the top of the heap, giving them as good a chance as any team to become the first franchise to repeat since the 2003-04 Patriots.

Strengths.

John Harbaugh has become one of the best coaches in the NFL, yet there’s still a sense he’s not viewed that way. He should be. Five years as head coach, five playoff appearances, at least one playoff win each year. Owner Steve Bisciotti needs to make sure Harbaugh never gets out of Baltimore.

To keep Harbaugh, the Ravens won’t have to pay him nearly as much as they paid their best player, quarterback Joe Flacco. He parlayed a Super Bowl win into a six-year, $120.6 million contract, and chances are he’ll only get better as he gains more experience and confidence.

Matching Harbaugh’s and Flacco’s five years in Baltimore is running back Ray Rice, who when teamed with up-and-comer Bernard Pierce could create the best backfield in the league.

The arrival of Harbaugh, Flacco, and Rice all in the same year reconfirms the quality of a front office led by G.M. Ozzie Newsome. Indeed, Newsome has become the first General Manager to build two separate Super Bowl-winning rosters in the salary-cap era, with only one player (linebacker Ray Lewis) bridging the two championship teams.

The Ravens have plenty of other strengths, from tight end to portions of the offensive line, to the defensive line, to the cornerbacks. Why shouldn’t they? They won the Super Bowl.

Weaknesses.

Of all the departures, none hurt more than receiver Anquan Boldin. There’s simply no one else on the roster who can make catches consistently and confidently while otherwise covered, as Boldin did throughout the 2012 season — and in the Super Bowl. Quarterback Joe Flacco needs someone to whom he can throw the ball in the vicinity, knowing that the player will catch it. Until Flacco has that, it’ll be hard for him to move the offense in the face of pressure.

Of all the men who left, the least expected was inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who bolted for Miami. With Ellerbe gone, Ray Lewis retired, and newcomer Rolando McClain also retired, they need guys to step up with talent and leadership.

Where do we start? Linebacker Ray Lewis retired, linebacker Paul Kruger left for Cleveland, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe left for Miami, cornerback Cary Williams left for Philadelphia, receiver Anquan Boldin was traded to San Francisco after he refused to take a pay cut, safety Ed Reed left for Houston, center Matt Birk retired, and linebacker Rolando McClain signed as a free agent and retired after his latest off-field incident.

Sure, more talent went out the door than walked through it. But the Ravens know how to reload from within. And they will.

Position battles.

With Matt Birk retired, the center position is open. Gino Gradkowski, sixth-round rookie Ryan Jensen, and newcomer (via trade with Colts) A.Q. Shipley will compete for the ability to avoid being thrown into the legs of quarterback Joe Flacco.

Beyond Torrey Smith, the depth chart at receiver is undecided. And the decision of Super Bowl hero Jacoby Jones to spend a large chunk of the offseason on Dancing With the Stars may not help his case for a starting job — or perhaps even a roster spot.

The defensive line jobs also are up for grabs to a certain extent, with Chris Canty and Marcus Spears hoping to take reps from guys not named Haloti Ngata.

Prospects.

The Ravens consistently have been underrated and overlooked in recent years. Even after winning the Super Bowl, many think that the Ravens are destined to collapse.

Sorry, but it’s impossible to ignore five straight postseason appearances, a great head coach, a great quarterback, and a front office that knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.

The Ravens won’t be folding ‘em any time soon. Though a repeat could be too much to expect, it’s not nearly as out of the question as many presume.

I would have the Ravens around #5, but if the players they are plugging in produce as expected then the Ravens D will be better than last year. Another playoff team in Baltimore and a good chance at another AFC North title.

flaccodelic says:Jul 23, 2013 3:01 PM

The big question mark for the Ravens is whether Jim Caldwell’s influence on Joe Flacco will continue to be what it was during the playoffs after Cam got the boot. If so, the sky is the limit. If not, things could unravel quickly.

The defense and specifically the pass rush should be MUCH better regardless.

You cant lose that many stars and be #3. They will be nowhere near as good as last year. Think Oakland Raiders after they lost the Superbowl to Tampa Bay, how many top guys they lost the next season and the following one and they have never been the same.

For the record, Boldin is not some Calvin Johnson-esque guy who will catch anything you throw remotely near him.

He’s a tough, great WR, but the QB must throw him open. He had a lot of problems with press/man coverage and would disappear for long stretches.

He led the Ravens in receptions the same way Derick Mason would, completely unspectacular.

The guy is great and was especially awesome in the playoffs, but Flacco has as much to do with his playoff success as he does. You need a lot of touch and accuracy to put it somewhere to allow him to separate and find the ball.

Hoping Doss can prove to be a good #2/possession receiver, Smith can improve, Jones can stay in the slot, Pitta/Dickson can add versatility, and the unproven/inexperienced guys with crazy measurables (Thompson/Streeter) turn out to be more than just workout freaks.

I was a little surprised at how little winning the super bowl did to convince people that the ravens are for real. Even with all the players we lost, we look to actually be better than last year. Here’s to defending the title!

crownofthehelmet says:Jul 23, 2013 3:13 PM

I agree with the ranking. A 3rd place finish in the AFCN sounds about right. Though that might even be a bit generous.

They do have a great coach, and a capable QB.. but the players they lost on defense are going to add up. They made and won the Superbowl last year thanks to amazing plays by their WRs. Boldin is gone now, and you just can’t count on Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones winning those deep underthrown jump balls as often as they did in the post season last year.

Even with them being the defending champs, I’ve got a hard time believing this team will get 10 wins this year.. ranking them #3 is just crazy.

Ravens #3??? Gotta be smoking some high powered crack. Rankings are always based on what happened the previous year and not the team in its current state.

tedmurph says:Jul 23, 2013 3:21 PM

Too high. Still a good team, but with the personnel turnover(which IMO makes them significantly worse than last yr), loss of leadership, Flacco no longer playing for a contract and the hangover from winning the SB, they’re staring 9-7 right in the face.

thelastwordyaheard says:Jul 23, 2013 3:21 PM

haha ..obviously you paid no attention to any offseason transactions ..barely a top 10 team

randy8123 says:Jul 23, 2013 3:22 PM

They were one Ray Rice miracle in San Diego away from 9-7. To their credit, they didn’t squander their opportunity and they turned it on in the playoffs, but to say that the Ravens are better positioned to repeat than the 2011 Packers or 2010 Saints is nuts. So is the contention that they are better positioned going into 2013 than the Packers, Falcons, Patriots, and Seahawks.

I love how the comments section is filled with doubters, who likely said the same thing before last season and the same thing before the playoffs. Wait and see, football fans. Just wait and see.

southpaw2k says:Jul 23, 2013 3:25 PM

But wait, I thought the Ravens were doomed to fail this season because they lost the likes of Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger, and Ray Lewis (who missed over half the season)!

What’s that you say? Ellerbe and Kruger cashed in and forced other teams to overpay for them? And Ray Lewis had played well past his prime? And the Texans overpaid for Ed Reed who is anybody’s guess as to when he’ll be ready to play at all this season?

Oh, then I guess the Ravens are a well-run machine after all. And in a conference where the Patriots are down, the Steelers are down, the Texans underachieve, and the Bengals may or may not be ready to take the next step, the only real rival in the AFC would be the Broncos.

LOL at all the haters and clueless dweebs who don’t understand why Ozzie does and why he does it. You see the Ravens in the playoffs as sure as the sun comes up in the morning but you still don’t get it. Y’all will see the fist of reality come September. The defense will be BETTER, and the offense at least as good.

RayLewisIsGod says:Jul 23, 2013 3:26 PM

The Ravens defense will be better than it was last year…

I love Ed Reed – and it pains me to say this – but he was USELESS for just about the last two seasons. He’s falling apart at the seams physically. He couldn’t make simple text-book tackles. He’s would sit back in coverage and wait to try and make highlight-reel interceptions (and then fumble on his attempted TD return). Again, I love Ed for all he did for the Ravens, but it was time for him to go. Houston is screwed.

Ray Lewis (God) will also be severely missed, but it was also time to ride off into the sunset. A new Ravens Defensive Era hath begun.

… And obviously losing Boldin is the biggest disaster of the off-season. Not sure what they were thinking there. I’m holding out hope that one of these young receivers becomes that reliable 3rd down go-to-guy. Pitta perhaps? We shall see.

Finally, a legitimate, non-skewed take on the Ravens. Sorry Foreskin and Sh*tsburgh fans, Baltimore’s looking better than both of your teams put together.

cospgsmadman says:Jul 23, 2013 3:27 PM

WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY
Too High……They lost most of their good players, besides they played their best game at the superbowl but should have never got that far. It was in the stars the cards whatever, It was just their time for whatever reason.

cospgsmadman says:
Jul 23, 2013 3:27 PM
WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY
Too High……They lost most of their good players, besides they played their best game at the superbowl but should have never got that far. It was in the stars the cards whatever, It was just their time for whatever reason.

———————————————-

Are you honestly saying that Ed Reed, Dannell Ellerbe, Paul Kruger are the majority of the Ravens’ best players?

They are the defending champs and deserve a high rating before any games have been played. That being said the intangible effect of missing leadership will be the key to their season. Last year everything jelled at the right time and the veterans led the way. Their injuries all healed at the right time and they made the most of their chances and some luck thrown in for good measure, but those things all happening two years in a row is unlikely. They are one Flacco injury from being an also ran, but hey most teams will if they lose their starting QB.

I know I will get a lot of thumbs down, but the WRs made Flacco good, particularly in the playoffs, not the other way around. Let the thumbs down begin.

ColtsWinColtsWin!! says:Jul 23, 2013 3:35 PM

broncofan09 hit the nail on the head, not much to say after that comment cept…stay the hell out of Baltimorgue…worst city in America

anonymousraven1 says:Jul 23, 2013 3:35 PM

Raven hater logic from 2008-2012:
1) The Ravens can never win it all with that old and slow defense!!!!1!!
2) Flacco has nobody to throw it to, it doesn’t matter if he’s actually good or not!!
3) Their offensive coordinator can’t even get Rice the ball!!!!
4) They’re just a bunch of criminals!!!

Raven hater logic in 2013:
1) The Ravens no longer have defensive leadership!!!
2) Anquan Boldin always made Flacco look great!!
3) The offensive coordinator switch just happened to coincide with Flacco living up to his potential, offensive coordinators don’t matter anyway!!!
4) They used to be a bunch of criminals!!!

… And in breaking news, stupid people are still stupid.

southpaw2k says:Jul 23, 2013 3:38 PM

tedmurph says:
Jul 23, 2013 3:21 PM
Too high. Still a good team, but with the personnel turnover(which IMO makes them significantly worse than last yr), loss of leadership, Flacco no longer playing for a contract and the hangover from winning the SB, they’re staring 9-7 right in the face.

————————————————–

Turnover? Yeah, because teams like the Patriots, Steelers, Broncos, Falcons, Vikings, and Giants all didn’t see significant turnover since last season too.

Good lord, some people just spout 6th grade logic without really thinking sometimes.

twoticketstoparadise20 says:Jul 23, 2013 3:38 PM

Like I said in the Seattle thread, top three might be a little bit high based on some of the roster weaknesses, but everyone in the top 10 or so has a few holes that can be cited (e.g., just to name a few for the two teams left, Denver has Miller’s suspension and Manning’s age, San Fran has Crabtree’s injury and some concerns in the secondary).

People are going to be surprised at the Ravens’ defense I think. The defensive line is significantly better than it was a year ago and a healthy Suggs is a much different proposition than the version of Suggs that came back and contributed to the title run but wasn’t really much better than an average player. Dumervil for Kruger is a slight upgrade. Inside LB is a concern but the improvements on the defensive line should help in that regard. Ray’s leadership will be missed much more than the version of Ray that we saw on the field last year.

I wanted Reed to return for sentimental reasons and I liked Pollard’s physical play, but Pollard can’t really cover at all and in all honesty Ed’s range had decreased some and he can’t really tackle anymore with his neck impingement. He still has good instincts and can scare QBs but he’s not the same “Ed Reed.” The combo of Elam and Huff at safety should be just fine and the CBs should be improved as long as Webb comes back strong from his injury. Cary Williams was a decent corner but Webb is significantly better.

A full offseason and training camp under Caldwell should help the offense. The line should be strong again and the 1-2 RB punch is one of the best in the league. The loss of Boldin will hurt and that’s probably the biggest concern, but there are still some weapons in the passing game in Smith (remember this is only his third season so there’s plenty of room for growth), and Pitta. Jacoby will hopefully serve as 3rd wideout and contribute on special teams rather than being forced into a starting role. And there’s no way he’s going to be cut, the NFI designation is likely just a message from Harbaugh to get Jacoby focused on football. The Ravens vets haven’t even started practicing yet (Thursday) so it’s not a big deal.

Throw in strong special teams and coaching and the Ravens should be in the mix again, which is really all that anyone can reasonably ask for. The odds are certainly against a repeat, as they are for pretty much every champion, but barring some bad luck with injuries or something along those lines the Ravens should be contenders.

Regarding the 4th and 29 and them being 9-7, you do realize that the last game/loss of the season was because they were already in the playoffs and put the second string in against Cinncinnati’s starters? Or that there were a number of close games they had back luck and lost because of a play or two where they had a bad bounce?

Look, I’m a Ravens fan and I think this ranking is too high unless the offense keeps humming like it did in the playoffs, but a lot of you either hate this team or haven’t watched the Ravens (or football in general?) very much over the last 5 years.

You’re supposed to start with facts and come to a conclusion, not tailor the facts to match your own opinions, or worse, create false or misleading/incomplete information to support your assertion.

They are Super Bowl champs and as much as your butt may hurt over it they earned it.

“Sorry, but it’s impossible to ignore five straight postseason appearances, a great head coach, a great quarterback, and a front office that knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.”

Ravens don’t care …cue the Seven Nation Army Chant and let’s play some football, mitchs

ninetysixer says:Jul 23, 2013 3:43 PM

last year they were too old, now the old players are gone, and morons say they lost too much. The comments on this board kill me sometimes. Ed Reed couldn’t tackle or play man coverage, Ellerbee has yet to play a full season without injury, Kruger only plays 33% of the defensive snaps, Cary Williams is slightly above average and Boldin caught 3 TD passes last season. Ray Lewis was the emotional leader but the team made it to the playoffs without him.

They lost ONE player of significance on offense, and have a likely to be better defense than last year. Couple that with John Harbaugh, who is one of the top give coaches and still hungry. In today’s NFL, anywhere between # 1 and # 7 is a Super Bowl quality team. With the above reasons, they are still a contender.

I don’t think this ranking is far off, I wouldve been content with anything in the top 5. While the Ravens did lose a lot of players ( Ellerbe, Kruger, Williams, Lewis, Reed, and Boldin) All of them are replaceable/ have been replaced and upgraded except for Boldin. The Ravens have some young receiving talent on the roster (Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson) whom i think are more than capable of stepping up. Flacco and Caldwell will continue to gel and the offense will only get better, thanks in part to the best backfield in the league and the stellar O-Line. I dont believe us ravens fans have much to worry about, as long as the defense gels and Webb comes back from his ACL.

I’m going to take a guess that most of these negative comments are coming from individuals who’s team are lower than #3. Chances are if the Steelers were #2 half of these comments would not have been posted.

bunkmcnulty says:Jul 23, 2013 4:11 PM

Ravens fan here so I am not objective. As I have watched this list I had them at 6. So I think 3 is high. But, there are so many that simply talk smack. They are idiots!

The defensive additions of Daryl Smith (from Jacksonville) and draft picks Brown ILB and Brandon Williams (NT) will be huge. No one really talking about these 3. Personally, I think Williams will be special.

I’d like another WR. But the OL and DL are solid. DL will be much better than last year.

Who knows where they’ll wind up. Bengals are solid. Steelers I hate, but until they are buried each year, I never count them out. I’d predict 10-6 AFCN champions again.

Game 1 against Denver looking better with Miller suffering a Ricky Williams work outage. That was not a W for me. If that turns to a W, things could be better.

jacktheraven says:Jul 23, 2013 4:13 PM

The ravens have lost some players. The doubters won’t let it go. But, I wouldn’t bet against Flacco, Rice, Smith, Yanda, Suggs, Ngata, Webb….should I go on? Not saying they’ll win the SB. Not into predictions and talking trash like steelcurtainn. 13th? You might look foolish.

jacktheraven says:Jul 23, 2013 4:15 PM

youarejealousof6rings” We in Baltimore have 6 NFL Championship rings. No big deal. Some teams have more than that.

If Boldin is so irreplaceable why was it that the Ravens could only get a 6th for him? It seems 31 other teams would disagree…. and yes this defense is better. More sacks,fewer long runs. Lewis retired for a reason and ask the Texans how the Ed Reed thing is turning out.

After looking at there schedule, the best the Ravens can do is 10-6. BUT, at 3 of those wins will be against powder puff teams. They will probably be 9-7. That is not a #3 ranking record. I know I am yanking chains here.

jayniner says:Jul 23, 2013 4:25 PM

Let’s get the inevitable over with….Niners are #1 in the power rankings.

ahostiletakeover says:Jul 23, 2013 4:33 PM

Wah wah wah the Ravens lost too many players on defense. Yeah, the reason was those same players were contributors to the SEVENTEENTH ranked defense last year. Ed Reed is still my favorite player of all time but he is no longer the Reed of old and neither was Lewis. Kemoeatu a journeyman nose tackle, Kruger a situational pass rusher who was replaced with an all pro in Dumervil, Ellerbe who had one good season and it happened to come in a contract year, Cary Williams, the leagues’ elite QB whipping boy at cornerback, Pollard who wears out his welcome after two seasons with EVERY team he has played with? The Ravens aren’t going to miss any of those guys and but its all morons can do to cling to any deluded notion in their head that the Ravens arent contenders every single year. The Ravens did gut the defense but have restocked it with even better players. The only legitimate concern is the lack of Anquan Boldin.

4thanlong says:
Jul 23, 2013 4:05 PM
I’m going to take a guess that most of these negative comments are coming from individuals who’s team are lower than #3. Chances are if the Steelers were #2 half of these comments would not have been posted.

1 1 Don’t flatter yourself. If the rankings were reversed Dont tell me the raven yahoos would remain silent. What a silly little homer you are.

@Joemontanaflacco says:
Jul 23, 2013 3:08 PM
“Sorry, but it’s impossible to ignore five straight postseason appearances, a great head coach, a great quarterback, and a front office that knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.”

Thank you.
————–
How the hell did flacco end up in the same name as Joe cool. He doesn’t belong on the same page let alone same sentence/word.

barbasol11111111 says:
Jul 23, 2013 3:04 PM
For the record, Boldin is not some Calvin Johnson-esque guy who will catch anything you throw remotely near him.

He’s a tough, great WR, but the QB must throw him open. He had a lot of problems with press/man coverage and would disappear for long stretches.

The guy is great and was especially awesome in the playoffs, but Flacco has as much to do with his playoff success as he does. You need a lot of touch and accuracy to put it somewhere to allow him to separate and find the ball.
————————————————–

You must not watch a lot of Ravens football. Flacco doesn’t “throw anyone open” (ha ha!) he heaves it up and closes his eyes. The TD passes to Jones in the Super Bowl and the Denver game were so UNDERTHROWN, they actually worked! “Touch and accuracy”? Bwahahahaha!

You have it backwards. Boldin made Flacco look great going up and snaring Jump Ball Joe’s blind heaves.

Seriously though, if the Ravens can find someone else to carry Flacco, their high ranking might be deserved. We’ll see.

5 to 6 are feels about right. They will be in a dogfight just to win the division, and with the loss of their two biggest leaders in Lewis and Reed, Flacco will have to step up and be the leader they just payed $100+mm for.

On the other end they lost Boldin, Jones is apparently out of shape, and I just don’t feel Smith is a #1 type of guy….

I just feel like they have more questions than answers…. and there are teams below them in this list that are just better….

cfeeley52 says:Jul 23, 2013 5:07 PM

broncofan09 says:
Jul 23, 2013 3:30 PM
3
The number of wins the Ravens hope to get this year.
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Still a little bitter about that one and done in the playoffs???

What’s funny about all of this is that the Ravens winning it all last year was a year ahead of schedule and did it easily…now clown boys wanna heckle, go ahead.

It was fun watching the Ravens brutalize the the Forty whiners, pop the Broncadelis, and manhandle the Boston Slaytriots….oops almost forgot the Indianasterisk Dolts. Yeah that was a tough one too…hahaha

Idk if you blindfolk actually watch games or not but winning in the playoffs was an outright joke for the Ravens last year….sooo….

Writers got it right. Good call. Champions. Replaced the old with younger and faster players. Still some issues but a high quality franchise. Only team to make the playoffs the past 5 years. Book it for 6 years.

I understand the arguement that the Ravens have lost a lot of “impact” players during the off season and in addition I’m still not sold on Flacco repeating his playoff performance. That being said they should be ranked No.1 because like others have posted they are the reigning Super Bowl champs.

lennylyles says:
Jul 23, 2013 5:17 PM
Steelers 6 rings in 80 years or one ring for every 15 years

Ravens two rings in 17 years or one ring for every 8.5 years. Winner Ravens!!!!!!
_________________________

This is so stupid on so many levels….

One: The NFL didn’t have a Super Bowl until 1967. We just played SB XLVII or Super Bowl 47. So we’ve played 47 Super Bowls and the Steelers have won 6. Thats one every 7.8 years.

Two: The Ravens franchise has been in the NFL since 1950 entering as the Cleveland Browns…. They were eligible to play in all 47 Super Bowls and have won 2. That’s 1 every 23.5 years….

If you wan’t stick with cities here, Baltimore won Super Bowl V as well so that gives Baltimore 3 SBs in 47 tries for one every 15.6 years….

And lastly…. 80 divided by 6 is 13.333 not 15.

Fail.

thesportgenius says:Jul 23, 2013 5:46 PM

Niners fan here…I have nothing but respect for their organization and wouldn’t count them out. I for one am glad Boldin is in our camp now, he killed us in the SB. Seems to me the entire AFC is suspect and I still can’t get behind Denver and P Manning come crunch time. He’s taken better team than the Broncos to playoff defeats.

I wouldn’t be shocked if the Ravens won the AFC North and reached the playoffs. However, it should be noted that only two coaches have ever reached the postseason their first six seasons on the job: Paul Brown and Bill Cowher.
John Harbaugh is a great coach. He’s certainly the best in the division. But six consecutive playoff appearances might be more difficult than Ravens fans are willing to admit.

flash1283 says:Jul 23, 2013 6:19 PM

Jul 23, 2013 5:23 PM
What’s funny about all of this is that the Ravens winning it all last year was a year ahead of schedule and did it easily…now clown boys wanna heckle, go ahead.
—-
REALLY they did it ” easily” please!!
Oh how quickly Ravens fans forget

Reality will smack them in the face this season whats gonna happen when JUMP BALL JOE doesn’t have Q to bail him out.

It takes a great team or a good team with lots of luck to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens were certainly the good team with lots of luck. This year it will take even more luck to get this team in the top three.

This team is an enigma, yes they just won the Super Bowl and until the next SB they are the Champs. But they did clean house and that really makes you wonder if they can do anything, they really lost a lot of quality players. However, these type of things have happened before and the team wound up better, they will be an interesting team to watch.

coachcj01 says:Jul 23, 2013 7:05 PM

The ravens were over rated last year remember. You see how that worked out. The AFC will start with Baltimore VS Denver and it will end the same way. How many teams have made it to the playoffs the past 5 years. One and only one. The Ravens. I see many people like to bash Joe so hear are so facts. How many QB’s have had a playoff run with 11 TD’s and 0 picks? Two and they are both named Joe. Montana and Flacco. Who had the same amount of rings and super bowl MVP’s as Payton Manning and has more playoff wins in his carrier? Flacco. Not bad company for an over rated QB on an over rated team.

nite2al says:Jul 23, 2013 7:11 PM

You guys are such idiots talking about Flacco and his jumpballs…

Why is it that he only threw jump balls to one player and one player only?

Because, hello, that player was slow as molasses and couldn’t get separation. So, throwing a jumpball is the only way that player could get it!

Flacco is elite and he can throw long, short, deep outs, with touch, you name it.

You can have T. Brady with his 5 yard passes and YAC receivers!!!!

Don’t dismiss what your eyes tell you…all those great throws in the playoffs was not a fluke. Pure greatness in the making. Playoffs every year! You were entertained by Joe Flacco…ha-ha!

bobzilla1001 says:Jul 23, 2013 7:20 PM

Can’t believe there are Ravens “fans” who know nothing about the history of the franchise. Guess that’s what happens when a team becomes successful. Casuals like to skip history and go right to yesterday…
Wondering how many people in Baltimore actually know the Ravens weren’t an expansion team? Obviously, not many here know.

The odds are the Ravens will not repeat as Super Bowl champions. The last legitimate repeat champions were the Cowboys in the 1990’s (the Patriots repeat titles are asterisked by SpyGate). So like a good organization they need to cut & reload on the fly. You give up 33 y.o. Boldin in the last year of his contract, get a 6th in return and let the next man up (on the roster or not) step in. There is no sentimentality in today’s NFL. Q was one of my all time favorite Ravens, I am glad he got his ring and now it is time to move on. The same folks that are wondering who is Joe’s “go to guy” is now – are the same ones that predicted doom when they cut his “security blankets” Derrick Mason & Todd Heap (both are no longer playing). That year the Ravens came a dropped pass from the Super Bowl. Last year the same forum posters were prophesizing 3rd place in the division over losing Ben Grubbs, Jarrett Johnson and Corey Redding – and they won the Super Bowl. This front office has a great track record of letting players go at the right time and does the right things to keep us in the mix year-in and year-out. That is all you can ask in post-millennium salary cap NFL. The Ravens just keep responding with division titles, playoff victories and now a Super Bowl trophy. This has been one of the most impressive runs in post millennium NFL history. I’m still basking in the glow of the Lombardi and not worrying about a thing. In Oz I trust.

joemontanaflaccid says:Jul 23, 2013 7:49 PM

joemontanaflacco puts Flacco in with Joe Cool, because he knows Montana is from Pittsburgh, and he loves the ‘Burgh,

chargerdillon says:Jul 23, 2013 7:53 PM

The haters on here are astounding.

Fact: The Ravens were the best team last year

Fact: Whoever 1 and 2 are in the preseason power rankings are 2 teams that look good on paper and played well below the Ravens.

As somebody who never believed in the Ravens nor Flacco, they deserve everybodys due respect. They stomped a mudhole in the 49’ers in that superbowl and if not for the delay it would’ve been far worse.

Everybody thought the 49’ers were a great team last year, they got CRUSHED by the Ravens, the same Ravens who were underdogs by 15+ against the Broncos. Just sayin guys….

joemontanaflaccid says:Jul 23, 2013 7:56 PM

joemontanaflacco, if u r wondering about my name, only because your name is insulting to Momtana, so flaccid joe it is

Wow so many people who know nothing about football. Ravens topped the tank with much better talent then they lost. The front office is the best in the business, and get ready, because all of the QBs you think are better then Flacco have their best years behind them. And for all of the moronic comments about the Ravens being over rated, I have saved all of your ids so I can stuff it in your face at the end of the season. U know nothing about Baltimore football. 5 yr resume: 5 Playoff appearances, 3 AFC championship games and 1 Superbowl. Stick that where the sun doesn’t shine! Morons

joemontanaflaccid says:Jul 23, 2013 8:19 PM

joemontanaflaccid is no more, has no more to say to joemontanaflacco. Going back to old name, bye

Wow, way to high. Flacco been a average qb before last years playoffs and that old and deep def is gone. Maybe 3rd from last. This team won’t even come close to winning there division. I’m not hating. Just the facts like Pitts age has caught up. They been a model franchise with a continuous playoff trips but those days are over and now its rebuild time.

ravensbob says:Jul 23, 2013 9:47 PM

Haters keep hating…we will be hoisting another Lombardi next Feb..

cowartsh says:Jul 23, 2013 9:54 PM

Without Rahim Moore making the boneheaded play of the year this ranking would probably be around 10

One: The NFL didn’t have a Super Bowl until 1967. We just played SB XLVII or Super Bowl 47. So we’ve played 47 Super Bowls and the Steelers have won 6. Thats one every 7.8 years.

Two: The Ravens franchise has been in the NFL since 1950 entering as the Cleveland Browns…. They were eligible to play in all 47 Super Bowls and have won 2. That’s 1 every 23.5 years….

If you wan’t stick with cities here, Baltimore won Super Bowl V as well so that gives Baltimore 3 SBs in 47 tries for one every 15.6 years….

So you are ignoring the Steelers first 33 years. We are talking NFL championships. The city of Baltimore NFL Champions 1958, 1959, 1971, 2001, 2013. Fact Pittsburgh 6 NFL championships in 80 years Baltimore 5 championships in 51 years. winner Baltimore

Everyone claiming that the Ravens will suck and won’t make the playoffs this season are the same idiots who picked the Broncos, then the Patriots, then the 49ers. Lol. How did disrespecting the Ravens work out for you last time?

Just saw a replay of the SB..(puke) and flacco truly is “Jump ball Joe”! Good luck!

uscoach says:Jul 23, 2013 11:13 PM

The Ravens have got to be the most hated-on Super Bowl winning team in the last 20 years. We are a playoff team every year, and if we don’t win it this year we will be back to win next year.

You guys cite all the players we lost on defense. Ok… We all love Ed but he was not really a factor last year- a very normal dude. Ray had a few good playoff games but when he was playing last year (which wasn’t for most of the year) he was average…and below average in the SB. I loved Pollard and hated to see him go out like a punk but he got burned in coverage a lot. Ellerbe, Krueger, what’s his face on corner who’s name I can’t even remember? – Who really cares. We add Webb, our best corner, and Dummerville- and a healthy Suggs and Ngata (who were both 50 percent tops in the playoffs).

Missing Boldin is going to be tough,’but ya gotta trust Ozzie and the coaches when they have the sort of track record they have.

The ravens have consistently been underrated. Their first SB people were talking about our terrible offense and how the giants high powered offense would hurt us. Meanwhile there was no way that their offense was going to scoreote than a few points on that defense. It was just that good.

This year, only a brown out kept the SB close. Watch the game, it was about to become a blowout.

Harbs is consistently denigrated by the talking heads and even by a vociferous few in town.ea while he has grown nicely into his role and is one of the top coaches on the NFL. But the real secret is the consistency of the front office and the owner. This is really why the ravens have been one of the leagues best teams over the last 5 years. Name 5 teams that have been consistently better

Ok, here we go, I am a Bengal fan since the early 70’s, I know, it aint easy! but I think the Ravens should be No.1 till proved otherwise. They Are world champs at this point. I am really looking for some great games this year in the afcn. anyone who counts out the ravens is nuts!!! Now as to all this talk about rings and such, not to many of them guys playing today from the ones Pitt has and this is a new year so if ya want to bring up the past that would make a nice thing to talk about all by itself, dont have a thing to do with now!!! I think our whole Div has improved this year so it is gonna be awsome!! I am also tired of everyone saying the NFC is so much better. world champs? AFCN!!!! could very well happen again. CMON FOOTBALL!!!! cant wait

The ravens won’t come close to winning again. They don’t scare anybody. Luck wont strike twice in two years.

arctantheta says:Jul 24, 2013 2:45 AM

Look, I’m not a Ravens fan, but as a football fan I know they haven’t had a down season since Billick was fired. Which says something about the competency of the front office. Furthermore, as the most recent SB winner, they are due a little respect.
Those who say the team lost too many key guys or are rebuilding are only half right. Boldin and Birk aside, most of the personnel losses were on defense, so the argument for “half-rebuilding” would be more accurate, but for the stocking up on defensive talent through FA and the draft.
Lastly, Baltimore, like many of the great cities in our land, has been on a decline for many years so it would behoove us all as AMERICA fans to feel good about a little happiness coming to their fair city. Bountygate aside, if you weren’t at least a little happy for New Orleanians when the Saints won the SB (not a Saints fan either) then you are a flat out jerk.

They can’t seriously think the Ravens are the number 3 team in the league?! Look I’m no Ravens fan. But I understand that the team that won the big game gets props. Still, this is barely the same team as last year. Your leading tackler in Pollard? Gone. Ray? Gone. Ed? Gone. Do not tell me that guys like Huff are gonna replace these guys unless you Ravens fans are gonna discount the last 5-10 years of bragging about your defense. Doom gets sacks, and offsides penalties. He was one of the reasons your team got out of Denver. You just cannot tell me that turnover like that is gonna make you a top 3 team. Especially when the change is on the defense.

We can go back and forth all day long, but the FACT is right now we are SB Champions. The rest of you can cry like 5 yr old who lost their candy, and prayer to who ever, in hopes that your teams will be lucky enough to win 8 games this year. And for all of you a holes who said Flacco neede to take the next step, well SB MVP is one hell of a step!!!!! See its already done, there is nothing to argue about. Doesn’t that suck.

Far assessment! No 3 ranking – no worries! We wouldn’t have it any other way! Folks love to hate a fierce competitor who is consistent, i.e. 5 straight playoffs with wins each appearance; 3 AFC championship games; and a Super Bowl victory! That’s ballin!! So don’t hate. Ravens: let’s just transition to this new era and go put in the work one day and one game at a time!

guitarkevin says:Jul 24, 2013 9:13 AM

Caldwell – enough said.

redsoxu571 says:Jul 24, 2013 9:38 AM

I’m going to take a “wild stab” at a prediction and say that the Ravens won’t be so good this year. Note the quotations marks around “wild stab”…

Also, you can say they have a “great quarterback”, but that doesn’t make it true.

jtbsteeler says:Jul 24, 2013 10:03 AM

I’m going to personally count and highlight every “Jumpball” thrown by Jumpball Joe this season.

I think he’ll average around 3 “JB’s” a game. Should be a fun season. All those lucky bounces from last season will fail with a thud this season.

I love how everyone says that the ravens lost to many good players. If you know the team you would know thats not the case. Kruger plays opposite of Suggs, who would not be able to get to the qb???? Replaced by Dumervil enough said. Ellerbe team cancer good luck Miami. Ed Reed , Pollard, love Reed but he is hurt and has been the past few years, Pollard was a good hitter but poor in coverage. Replaced by Huff and Elam, same to improvement. Matt Birk , Cary Williams replaced in house. The only player I miss is Boldin, but even he can be replaced see Pitta, Doss,&Thompson, not Jones like people seem to think. The ravens are smart deep team they keep the right players and shed the rest. See A. Thomas , B.Scott etc. This team is not a roller coaster they may not win the S.B. but will be it the playoffs.

Most of you don’t realize that the defense is going to be vast improved. Ngata, Suggs, and Webb, their three best players will return healthy, and they add some much needed speed in Elam, Huff, and Brown. Furthermore, Ngata should move to the nose tackle position, strengthening the run defense, and allowing a rotation of Arthur Jones, Chris Canty, and Marcus Spears to man the five technique. Offensively, the loss of Boldin will hurt, but not as much as expected. They will be a faster team, and rather than expecting the number two receiver to replace Boldin, the onus will fall on Dennis Pitta, whose production will in turn have to be replaced by Ed Dickson. Jacoby Jones will then keep his role as the third or fourth option, and a young receiver, likely Deonte Thompson will have to emerge as the third wide receiver.

To all of the Steelers fans that say the Steelers have 6 rings and NFL Championships don’t count because it was a different era.

You do realize that the Steelers didn’t win any championships, regardless of its name, for their first 40 years, and the first 3 Super Bowls were won during a time when the regular season was only 14 games long? The fourth was won when their were only 28 teams in the NFL. Not to mention that the salary cap era started in the 1994 season which should definitely start the newest NFL era, since those NFL Championships would mean the Packers, Bears, and Giants have more Championships than the Steelers you have to disregard them.

So by all accounts those first 4 NFL Championships (called Super Bowls) were won during a different era and thus shouldn’t count. That being said, the Ravens, Steelers, Packers, Giants, and Broncos (with 2 SB wins each) are all chasing the Patriots (3) in this newest era.

Don’t flatter yourself. If the rankings were reversed Dont tell me the raven yahoos would remain silent. What a silly little homer you are.

Difference is nofool: one of those two teams went 8-8 last year, the other won the superbowl.

jacktheraven says:Jul 25, 2013 3:17 PM

NFL football didn’t start in the 60’s when they changed the “championship game” name to SB.
Pittsburgh has 6. Baltimore has 6 ( 4 with the Colts, when in Baltimore, and 2 with The Ravens.
The Browns & Packers have more than 6.
Baltimore does have claim to anything about The Indy Colts after the move, or The Browns, which remained in Cleveland.

jacktheraven says:Jul 25, 2013 3:19 PM

Sorry, meant to say” Baltimore DOESN’T have claim”

teek77 says:Jul 25, 2013 7:11 PM

What did Edgar Allan Poe say about the Ravens ……………”NEVERMORE”!!! Their rooster got hit harder than a Walmart on Black Friday. I will be extremely surprised if they make the playoffs.

dontbuttslapyourlawyer says:Jul 25, 2013 9:29 PM

Let me help you guys out…know how many players are left on the team since flacco started his first year? 7. That’s right, 7. 7 guys still on the team from flacco’s rookie season. Yet somehow we lose an old ray Lewis, a broken Ed Reed, and we might as well just pack in the whole season. Oh wait, I forgot we lost boldin, now we’re definitely done. Except…we make the playoffs every year since flacco started, we’ve won a lot of games with dudes who’s last names aren’t boldin reed or Lewis. We’re gonna be just fine. Rank us wherever you want, us ravens fans couldn’t care less. Not saying we’re going to repeat, but you can bet your nofooldrool crownof my nuts helmet we’ll be seeing you in the post season. Next man up. Have a good day

cfeeley52 says:Jul 26, 2013 4:09 PM

redsoxu571 says:
Jul 24, 2013 9:38 AM
I’m going to take a “wild stab” at a prediction and say that the Ravens won’t be so good this year. Note the quotations marks around “wild stab”…

Also, you can say they have a “great quarterback”, but that doesn’t make it true.
—————————
based on the redsox in your handle i’m going to take a “wild shot” and say you’re a patriots fan… are you sure you’re in the best position to make ray lewis jokes right now…?

bakkhus says:Jul 29, 2013 6:42 AM

The Ravens have one of the best front offices in the NFL and one of the best coaching staffs.

Those are the key ingredients for winning every year. Five straight playoff seasons and a Super Bowl Championship are the proof of how good their FO and coaching staff are.

They’ve lost some players, true, but the defense wasn’t what has been historically last year, and while the loss of Boldin will hurt they have young players who should step up.

Will all respect for what they accomplished- the only thing that matters is the scoreboard- they weren’t even the third best team last year. They got hot, got some ridiculously good breaks most notably in the inexplicable gift from Denver. With all they’ve lost, they are far more likely to miss the playoffs than to repeat. WAY too high a rating.

They lost a lot of good players. Flacco had an unusually good streak in the playoffs. They’re a 9-7 team. 3rd place in the division.

bakkhus says:Aug 12, 2013 2:54 PM

The Ravens replaced their losses with a lot of good players. The defense will be better this year than last. Lewis was still a great leader, but he wasn’t physically a top linebacker anymore. That was the worst Ravens defense since ’98.

On offense, Flacco should enjoy more consistent line play and better playcalling, which means the offense is going to be more explosive and more consistent. Nor more Cam Cameron trying to force deep sideline passes!

The Ravens are going to win the division again and will be a force to reckon with in the playoffs.